Babies
by MoonGuardianLuna
Summary: Darien Shields life can only be described with one word: "monotonous." But when twin babies show up on his doorstep his world is suddenly turned up-side down.
1. I On the Doorstep

Babies

Author's Note: After reading "I Need You" by Phantasy Star I found myself inspired to write "Babies."

Chapter One: On the Doorstep

Darien brow furrowed as he attempted to remain in the comfortable and very peace embrace that only sleep could bring. But it was no use. For no sooner had he rolled over in his bed and pulled the covers over his head to block out the sunlight, did his alarm clock go off. And, that was his daily cue and reminder to start his day at seven in the morning. Reluctantly, not wanting to leave sleep so soon, Darien threw back the covers and sat up. Than he remembered that it was Monday.

Monday was Darien's favorite day of the week. It wasn't his favorite because it was pay day at the clinic he worked full time at, nor at the pizza parlor where he worked part-time. Neither was Monday his favorite day of the week because it was the start of another week. Nope, none of those reasons that other people had for making Monday, or any day of the week, their favorite day was the reason that Monday was his. Monday was Darien favorite day of the week, because of her.

Because she was the reason that he left the realm of sleep and warm bed. Darien turned around to look at his alarm clock. Six-fifteen. That gave him fifteen minutes to get ready for his day, if he wanted to run into her. Even if she did have a tendency to run late five days out of the week. But he wanted to on time just in case she was on time for once. He grabbed a pair of violet trousers and black long sleeve shirt and socks from the dresser and got dressed. His daily routine caused him to end his day with a cold, refreshing shower before going to bed.

After pooling his last sock onto his right foot, Darien glanced up at the clock. Seven-forty-five. He might miss her. He ran into his bathroom and grabbed his toothpaste and some tooth paste. Than brushing his teeth, he ran around the house in search of his shoes. That was one thing that puzzled Darien. No matter where he took his shoes off, at the front door, in the living room, in the dinning room underneath the table when studying, any where in the house they always seemed to get lost. An estimated ten minutes after the searching for his missing shoes, Darien had rescued them from the underneath the couch in the living room. Slipping them on his feet he looked up at the clock.

"Damn it!" Darien yelled hitting his fist against the sofa cushion. It was eight-o-clock. He'd missed her. And, all thanks to his stupid shoes.

Mournfully Darien walked over to the dinning room table where his school textbook had been spread out the night before. Darien closed his the text that were required for the day's schedule classes and tucked them underneath his arm. "May as well get this miserable week started." Darien said to him and left his apartment.

Darien was too busy wallowing in his own self-pity that had been caused by his missed chance to see his angel that he had not seen the cardboard box that was laying in front of the entrance way into the tenement. The next thing that he now was sprawled in the snow at the bottom of the steps. And his books and papers were scattered all around him. And, someone was crying. A loud shrill sound.

Darien groaned and opened his eyes. "What the hell was that?" he asked himself.

Someone was still crying. Darien looked around the parking lot. At the far end of the complex he saw a figure of a woman dressed in a white blouse, a navy blue skirt, and black flat shoes disappear around the building. But, she could not have been the reason that he had fallen down the steps. Darien looked at his feet. His shoes were tied.

Well, that baby every shut up? Darien thought.

He looked up the stairs in search of the reason for his fall. There. At the top of the stairs. Where could not be missed by any person walking in or out of the apartment building was a large, brown, cardboard box.

"Why would some one leave a box in front of the door?" Darien asked stupidly. Than he stood up, gathered his things and walked back up the steps. The baby had finally stopped crying. Darien looked down at the expecting to find it sealed with the name and apartment number of a resident. What he found instead took him for a loop.

In this crude form of shelter lay two babies wrapped in a dark green bedspread. Each of them wearing a thick jacket and a little hat – one blue and one pink. In the corners on either side of them were stuffed animals. A fluffy pink rabbit with blue bows on its ears and a furry brown bear with a hug red bow around it neck. There was also a brand new, unopened pack of diapers and a container of powdered formula.

Darien blink his eyes several times. When the visions of the babies had not vanished he rubbed them. One of the babies was wind awake. Apparently, this little cute thing wearing a blue downy jacket and hat was what had been crying. Trails of tears ran down the sides of its chubby face from dark cinnamon colored eyes. It's little gloved hand reaching towards him.

"Hello." Darien said.

The baby cooed.

"Where'd you come from?" Darien asked.

The baby cooed again.

"Where's your mom and dad?" Darien asked.

Another coo.

"My name is Darien. What's yours?" Darien asked.

Another coo.

"Who would do this to babies?" Darien asked.

Another coo.

Darien gazed around the parking lot again. Again there was no hint as to how would have left these babies in a box. That was expect for the seats of footprints leading to and away from the steps. Although his unexpected tumble down the steps had nearly smeared them. That won't be of any use.

"Well, I'd better get you out of the cold." Darien said.

And, as though the baby knew what he was saying, it cooed.

With his books under one arms Darien attempted to lift the cardboard box to no avail. " Okay, I'm going to put these inside your box." Darien said placing his school books in the box next to the diapers. With much difficult he lifted attempted to pick the box up again.

"How did she do this?" Darien questioned. He sat down on the steps next to the box to think. It was too heavy to carry with these babies in it. The one that was awake sat up and started to cry. "I'm thinking." Darien said to in the most comforting voice that he could muster. But that did console the wailing child. A second later, the one that had been sleep woke up to the sound of its siblings distress. And, it two was crying. So, here Darien was with a dilemma on his hands. He had a large cardboard box with two wailing babies in it and no way to get them to his fourth story apartment.

"What a way to start the week?" Darien grumbled. His hands flat against his ears.


	2. II Bring Your Daughter To Work Day Comp...

**WARNING**: It is recommended by the author of the following work of fiction that the parent or guardian of any individual under the age of thirteen read and review the following. As this work of fiction is comprised of intense frightening scenes, mild violence, and mild language. Some parents and/or guardians may feel that these materials are not suited for their child. Kristen Long

**DISCLAIMER**: The following is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. While those characters that normally associated with the hit television series and the best-selling magna (or graphic novel) known as Sailor Moon are not the products of my own creation. They are the products of the series creator Naoko Takeuchi.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** First off allow for me to inform you that the following working of fiction is still in the process. Therefore, chapters are being written, add, deleted, or revised. So, you may from time to want to re-read through chapters that have been revised, as announced in the summary. Second off I was inspired to write this work of fan-fiction after reading _I Need You_ by Phantasy Star. I also would like you to be informed of the fact that I use terms "decatitive" and "

Title: Babies

Chapter Two: Bring Your Daughter To Work Day

Author: Kristen Long (K.Long)

Monday morning in the Tsukino household came as it usually did. Ikuko was the first person to have arisen with the sun, taken a refreshing shower, and gotten dressed. Now she was in the kitchen filling the ground level of the house with the sweet, pleasant smells that wafted their way up the stairs to the second level where the rest of the family was still sleeping. It was these smells that had aroused Kenji from the realms of sleep and brought Sammy from the warmth of his morning shower. The only person that was not awaken from the realm of sleep by these wonderful mouth watering smells was the Tsukino's eldest child – Serena.

"Serena!" Ikuko yelled up the staircase.

Sixteen year old Serena Tsukino groaned at the summons to walking world. She rolled over snuggling beneath the warmth of her covers and bed. The last thing that she wanted to do was to officially bring her weekend to an end by waking up on Monday morning. She had the immature idea that if she were capable of remaining in bed, the weekend would have never ended.

There was a knock on the closed bedroom door. It opened with Serena's permission. It was not like her mother needed to permission to go anywhere in the house that she was paying for. "Serena, you're father's going to be late." Ikuko said.

Serena groaned and lowered the covers to peer over them. Her mother was hovering over her with her arms crossed and a spatula in hand. That was a very bad thing. Time for the weekend to come to an end. Serena sat up.

"You're supposed to go with your dad to 'Bring Your Daughter to Work Day'." Ikuko said stilling looking threatening.

"Mom, can't I stay home with you?" Serena asked.

"No."

"But you would be bringing to work." Serena said optimistically.

Ikuko's stance changed to one less threatening to Serena. She looked as though she was contemplating what Serena had said. Then she said, "You know what?" Serena shook her blonde head. "I've been thinking about cleaning out the attic and the garage. Since you are volunteering to stay home to help with the work we can clean those out."

"The attic. With all those spiders." Serena said nearly screeching.

Ikuko nodded her head.

"And, the garage."

Ikuko nodded her head, again.

"But, Luna's all ways getting her lunch from there."

"Does she." Ikuko said in a mused voice.

"You know what?" Serena said throwing the cover off.

"What?" Ikuko asked in that same amused voice and smiling.

"I think I'll go file dad's paper work." Serena said.

"Oh. Okay." Ikuko said pretending to sound hurt at the thought that her daughter no longer wanted to spend that day at work with her. Ikuko left Serena to get ready for the day. When she had closed the door behind her. She smiled to herself and said, "I thought that'd get her out of the house. Now, to tackle those mice."

Thirty minutes later...

Kenji pulled his car into the police station parking lot. Serena got out of the car and starred up at the ten story building. It had gone under a lot of changes since Serena had last been here. For one thing it seemed a lot bigger when she was five years old. A ramp had been added for those individuals with handicaps. So had a three railings on the stairs. New sign had been added over the doorway. Letters that had to be at least ten feet in height had been rooted to the overhang on the door to read JUBBAN POLICE STATION.

"Not much has changed since your last visit." Kenji said. He stood up straight – as he had been raffling around in the back seat for his briefcase – and closed the door. "Well, come on."

Serena followed her father across the parking lot, which was a jungle of parked motor vehicle. Up the steps, her hand idly sliding along the railing. It was bumpy and the black paint was peeling. In some spots she could feel where someone had just taken a brush and gone over the spots of missing paint. Then through the glass doors with brass banisters.

The entrance way was not very large. It looked no longer than the living room of the Tskunio house. In the center was a large security desk. Behind the desk sat a balding man in his late forties wearing a security guard's uniform. Behind him there was a glass wall through which Serena could see various people setting at desk and walking around. The last time that Serena had been there her head just did touch the top of that desk. The wall to the left was occupied by two elevators, a chair, a floral painting, and a potted plant. The wall to the right was the same expect for the fact that there were two doorways and a black and white of a man that had retired before Serena's time.

"Konnichi'wa, Detective Tsukino." The balding man, Timothy Mann – as his name tag said – greeted. "That can't be little Serena." She said in astonishment.

"Yep, this is my little girl." Kenji replied signing a piece of paper on a clip board.

"Can't be." Timothy replied. "The last time I saw her she barely reached the top of my desk."

"Yep." Kenji said.

"I'm guessing you wouldn't want a sucker. Every time you came through that door, you'd run over here, give me a big hug, take my hat, and ask for a sucker." Timothy said in a reminiscing type of tone. Underneath it Serena could here that he was hoping that she would do all the things that she had done when she was a kid.

Serena walked around the desk and gave Timothy a hug. He beamed. Then reached in the top draw of his desk. Serena glimpsed a draw some what like her desk at school – with papers, pencil, paper clips, stapler, and other office supplies and a book, a bunch of suckers, and a gun. Okay, maybe she did not have a gun in her desk, but she did have an assortment of the rest of the things. Timothy retrieved a sucker and handed it to Serena.

"Arigatou." Serena said taking the sucker.

"Domo." Timothy said.

"Serena." Kenji called from near the elevators.

"Come by and see me, again." Timothy said as Serena joined her father and three other people on the elevator. Serena nodded her head to Timothy. The ride to the fifth floor was spent in moderate silence. Her father exchanged conversation with the other three people on the elevator and introduced Serena to them. The elevator came to a stop at the second floor. A woman with short black hair and gray strikes, whom had been introduced as Officer Tulker, stepped from the elevator.

On the third floor three more people joined them. The first to step on was a bald man with black hair circling his head and a waistband that said he had eaten one too many donuts in his line of work. The second was a woman wearing a blue sun dress and her brown hair in a braid and sun glass. The third man was a wearing a red and black plaid shirt and had a hateful expression. He eye Serena from where he was standing next to the buttons. Serena shrank behind her father. And wished that the elevator would skip the fourth floor and got straight to the fifth. Being in the same small cramped space with that guy made Serena's skin crawl.

However, to Serena's disappointment the elevator came to the stop at the fourth floor and two more people stepped on. When the doors opened on the fifth floor it took all of the sixteen year old girl's control not to shoot from the elevator like a bullet. She followed her father through the forest of cubicals and bodies to an office on the other side.

"Konnichi'wa." Several people called to Kenji in greeting. Kenji waved to them in greeting. The desk of all the detectives in this department of the police station had a computer and was covered with pictures of family members, cups with pencils and pens, and other nick-nacks. Those that had walls to post things on had covered them with newspaper clip-outs and more family pictures. Their attempts to personalize the little spaces.

"Konnichi'wa." A woman with a dirty blond hair done a in a bun held with chop sticks and wearing jeans and a tight solid color shirt called to Kenji.

"How's the case going?" Kenji asked stopping at the woman's desk.

"Terrible." The woman said. The corners of her lips were turned down in a frown. Apparently she spent the majority of her time frowning as she corners around her lips were covered in wrinkles. Serena guessed that when she did smile, it was a forced one. "We just can't nail the bastard with anything that his lawyer couldn't come up with a perfectly good excuse. Any ideas?" Her grey blue eyes landed on Serena and she inclined her head a little to the left.

"This is my daughter, Serena." Kenji introduced.

"Hello, Serena." The woman held her hand out to Serena. Serena shook it. " I'm Annette Janeway. My kid is around here somewhere." Annette stood up from where she had propped herself on the corner of her desk and peered over their heads scanning the room. "Hope she's not flirting with some of the scum around her. I had to drag her away from Timothy, downstairs."

Serena blinked. She did not know what to say. "Well, as for my case." Annette said. "You got any ideas of what we can do?"

"Sorry, no." Kenji said shaking his head of dark brown hair.

"Well, if you can come up with anything. Just throw it my way." Annette said. "And, congratulations on nailing that scum bag Jean-Claude."

"Arigatou." Kenji said. He steered Serena into his office. It was a small cramped space with two desk pushed together so that Kenji and his partner faced each other. There was a coat hanger next to the door. Two windows. One that peered out into the forest of bodies and one that peered down into the street below. Filing cabinets and a dry ease board. Like the other desk on the other side of the door. Family pictures were scattered all over the desk, along with files.

Serena walked over to the dry erase board. Several pictures had been taped to it. Underneath each was a name. A web of lines contacted each picture to one another. At the top of the tree of people was a picture of a white man with rowdy dirty blonde hair, green eyes, high cheek bones, and thin lips. His name was Jean-Claude. It was the guy that Annette had complimented her father for placing behind bars.

Kenji hung his jacket on the coat rack and sat down at his desk and flicked the computer on. "Are you supposed to right some report about your day with old man, or something?" He asked Serena while he waited for his computer to boot up.

"Something like that." Serena said. She sat down at the desk across from her father. "What did he do?" Serena pointed to the picture of Jean-Claude.

"Rapist." Kenji said with a frown. Serena cringed at the way that her father said the word. He forced the word through pursed lips in a whisper. Apparently, he did not want his daughter to hear it.

Serena turned around in her chair took look at Jean-Claude's picture again. He was a friendly, good looking kind of guy who gave up his weekends to be the couch of some little league. He did not look the type of guy that would harm the hair on a child. Not the type of guy that was the nightmare of a bunch of women. No, Jean-Claude was the guy next door.

"Stole the innocence of seven middle school students he was couching." Kenji was saying. Hatred clearly evident in his phonation.

Serena gasped and looked horror stricken.

"But, we got him. His last victim was not as shame stricken as the others." Kenji said with some pride. "Her father's a cop too. So, she knew exactly what to do. Called her parents and went straight to the hospital as soon as she could. Took nearly five of us to pry him off the man in the end."

Just than the door opened. Serena looked up and back at her father before suffering from a mild case of wipe lash that resulted from the quick double take. Kenji partner in up holding the law was not some guy in the years of a mid-life crisis with a receding hairline and liquefying stomach muscles. No way. This guy was a looker. And, boy did Serena look. He was handsome with black bangs falling into mysteriously azure eyes. He lean and muscular. He did not have the bulging types of muscles that result from hours of workout at the gym, but natural lean muscles that came from good breeding. In Serena's opinion this young man, who could not possibly be older than herself, could pass for a rock star.

Upon entering into the room, the man routinely turned to look to see if Kenji was at his desk. Which was. "Mornin' partner." He said in a cheerful, teasing type of tone.

"Hey, Rookie." Kenji greeted.

"Rookie", as Kenji called him, removed his winter jacket and hung it up on the coat rack next to the door. "Wow!" He stated when he turned to his desk. He had just noticed Serena setting there starring at him. " Who's the chic?" He asked.

Serena blushed and blinked and looked away.

"That 'chic' is my daughter Serena." Kenji said warningly. " Serena, this is my partner Seiya Kou."

Serena was grinning so hard at Seiya that she could not bring herself to say a word. So she waved at him. Seiya nodded to her. "So, what we got to do today?" He asked Kenji as he walked around the desk to his chair. He placed his hands on either side of it. And, Serena's blush deepened. Seiya smelled like a mixture of ever-green scent after-shave, strong cologne, and baby powder scented deodorant.

"Paper work mainly." Kenji replied.

"Paper work?" Serena questioned. Great she was missing an entire day of school with her parents blessing only to travel half way across town to watch her father file papers. She was beginning to think that it was a jiped when she remembered that she would not be only spending the day with her father, but with his partner. In her mind that was a reasonable compromise.

"Paper work." Seiya said at almost the same time that Serena had. He sounded as disappointed as she did about the news.

"Yelp." Kenji said. He gave his daughter a looked that told her that it was time that she found somewhere else to seat. Serena stood up and Seiya sat down. He flicked his computer on.

The door opened again. This time the type of man that Serena had expected for her father's partner had entered. "Tsukino. Kou." The man said in a voice that demanded their attention. Even Serena turned her eyes from Seiya to the man. "I'm assigning you a case."

Seiya and Serena looked overjoyed. Seiya was overjoyed at the fact that he did not have to do paper work today. Serena was overjoyed at the fact that she wasn't going to be wasting a perfect day off of school.

An hour later Serena was seated in the back seat of an unmarked police car starring out of the window. Kenji skillful drove the vechile through the snow covered streets of the Jubban distract. Seiya was seated in the passenger seat flicking through the radio station and making small talk.

"No." Serena replied to the young police officer's inquiry about a boyfriend.

"Why not?" Seiya asked. "You're very beautiful."

"And in secondary school." Kenji added.

"I'm not looking for anyone." Serena informed.

Kenji smiled.

"Still, guys should be knocking down your dad's front door." Seiya said.

Serena laughed. None of the boys at school had paid in any attention. She wasn't pretty enough for any of them. Neither was she confident enough to walk the halls like the popular girls. Serena looked at her reflection in the window. She was plain. She had long blonde hair that had to be forced into two balls on the side of her head to prevent her hair from touching the ground. She had blue eyes. She did not have a beguiling figure out figure. Between her small chest and hips there were just enough curves in her bodily figure to identify her as a member of the female sex. Then there were her legs, hidden beneath a pair of faded denim jeans today, that were long and smooth and possible made her look taller than she was.

"If I didn't know that your dad walked around with a gun on his belt, I'd be tempted to date you too." Seiya commented.

This made Serena blush.

"Rookie, keep dreaming." Kenji said as he pulled the car into a parking space in front of the apartment building. "Serena, you can stay in the car if you want. Just lock.."

"I'll come." Serena said. Seiya got out of the car and opened the back door for her. "Thanks."

"So, which one is it?" Kenji asked starring up at the twelve story building.

"Apartment number 12D." Serena replied.

Kenji and Seiya starred at her. "What?" Serena asked.

Once the three of them had exited the car, Kenji led his daughter and partner into the apartment building. Upon entering the clean lobby Seiya let out a low whistle as his way of expressing how impressed he was by the place. The lobby was divided into two parts. The part they three of them had entered looked similar to the lobby of the police station, expect it was about five times as elegant and there were only three elevators – all on the right wall. The security guard and the doorman behind the desk looked up from their conversation. Most likely talking about the twins.

"Serena, you can go seat over there." Kenji pointed to the second part of the lobby. It was a carpeted setting area with a living room suit surrounding a television. "Until we are done here." he gestured toward the two people behind the desk.

Serena nodded her in agreement. As long as her father came back for her before he went up stairs. Serena walked over to the love seat – directly in front of the television. Currently it was tuned into the news. The reporter was making remarks about a bugler who had broken into a house and fallen asleep. The following report was on location. A group of reporters had surrounded a court house where a man was being taken away in prison jumpsuit and handcuffs.

"Today, Jean-Claude Magnavox appeared before a judge at the Jubban court house where he was sentence to fifteen year prior convention in a maximum security prison." A second news reporter was commenting on the scene. " When asked what were his thoughts about his sentence Mr. Magnavox had this to say:.."

The screen switched to Jean-Claude putting up a mild fight against those who were escorting him to the prison transport that was waiting for him. "I never touched them!" Jean-Claude was screaming.

Someone behind Serena scuffed. "It's kind of hard to argue the evidence when there is a child with DNA." Kenji said. Serena looked up. Her father was standing over her with his arms crossed.

"It would seem that way." Serena said in agreement. "But, dad couldn't at least one of those girls have had sex with him willingly."

"Would not matter?" Kenji said. "It's against the law for any individual of the age eighteen or old to engage in sexual actions with a minor. Even if the girl consisteneted. Statutory rape."

Serena blinked. Then made a mental note to inform her friend Molly. Molly had been Serena's best friend since grade school. She had brown hair and eyes and was a lot more attractive than Serena was any day. Or so Serena thought. Molly thought like Serena – believed that she was plan look and unattractive even if she was dating Maxfield Standant, an aristocratic and gorgeous twenty-something-year-old man.

"We're heading up stairs. You coming or going to stay down here." Kenji asked.

"I need to observe what you do on a daily basis for my report." Serena sighed. Homework even when she wasn't in school. What a boomer? Serena followed her father across the lobby to the elevator where Seiya was leaning against the wall watching the flickering numbers.

Serena wondered if he did that on prose or on accident. The elevator doors opened and they boarded. Seiya was the first one. He went directly to a back corner where he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Serena stood in the center of the elevator. And, Kenji stood next to the button control.

"Where you always a police officer?" Serena asked Seiya. It was the best way that she could think of to inquire about his posing.

Seiya laughed. "No. I used to be in a band. But local talent doesn't make a lot of money. Tried modeling for a couple of years."

"Really." Serena said. "I know someone that used to model. He told me that it was hard work. Of course he's always picking on me and calling me Meatball Head. So, I tend to try to ignore anything that comes out of his mouth."

"Well, your friend is right. On both accounts." Seiya said.

"What?" Serena said narrowing her eyes. Seiya was losing his charm.

"Modeling is hard work. And those two buns and ponytails on the side of your head do remind me of pasta and meatballs." Seiya said with a smile. Kenji rolled his eyes.

Serena scuffed and turned to watching the flickering lights. Only two more floors. Seiya was nothing like his first impression. He was another Darien. Some to hate because he found pleasure in teasing her for her faults. And, it was just fine with Serena if she did not have to say another word to him all day. Besides, her meatballs were something that was all hers and no one else. They made her unique and one of a kind.

"I did not mean to insult you." Seiya said stepping so that he was standing beside her. "Pastas are my favorite foods. You think I got this physic from eating the bachelor specials. I don't think so."

"What are bachelor specials?" Serena asked.

"There are very few men in the world who can make their own home cook meals – I'm one of them. So instead of dying from hungry a bachelor will stock is refrigerator with milk and his cupboards with cereal, can foods, and other instant meals. And, when he does not feel like cook a bachelor will hit the nearest fast food restaurant where his choice of meals become 'the usual." Seiya stated. He sounded as though he was speaking from experience.

"I remember those days." Kenji said. "I was young and single."

"So, you grew tired of that?" Serena asked tentatively. She was still upset about the comment he had made about her hair. However, hearing that it was his favorite meal was easing the pain a little. Still, why did everyone have to make fun of her choice of hair styles.

"Signed up for cooking classes downtown." Seiya said proudly. "What about you, Ken?"

"I traded my carefree days for plate of meat loaf, corn, and rice." Kenji replied.

"In short. You got married." Seiya said. He sounded as though he envied the head of the Tsukino household. And, as though he was talking to someone that had broken an unwritten rule of manhood, or something.

The conversation came to an end when the progression of the elevator slowed and came to a complete stop and the doors slide open. As the senior member of the group Kenji lead his daughter and partner from the elevator into the fourth floor hallway. The walls were the same salmon-color as the lobby. The floor was carpeted with the same tan carpet. There was a long narrow window at each end of the hall, which was filled with the humming of fluorescent lights from over head.

Kenji turned right once he stepped off the elevator. Counting the numbers of the door he continued down the hallway until he had found the correct apartment. From behind the door came the continuous high pitched wails that detective normally associated with an uncomfortable child or his own off spring that was standing behind him – minus the ability to speak.

Kenji raised his knuckles to the door and knocked. Faint movement could be heard over the crying. Followed by the soft clicking of the lock on the door. The rustling of chain could be heard too. Then the door opened.

"You!" Darien and Serena shrieked in unison.

"You know each other?" Kenji asked turning to his daughter.

"This is the jerk that calls me Meatball Head." Serena said.

"It's nice to see you too, Meatball Head." Darien stated.

"I'm Detective Tsukino and this is my partner Detective Kou. You are the person that called about two abandoned children?" Kenji asked. He stood back and took in the appearance of the young man in front of him.

The man that his daughter knew or hated, depending on your point of view on the matter, stood somewhere near six feet. He had short black hair that fill into blue eyes. Apparently these so called abandon children had him rack his fingers through those locks several times with the past couple of hours. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt with a violet hem, violet trousers, white socks, and black dress shoes.

"Yes." Darien said turning his attention to older gentleman. "Please come in."

Darien stepped back so that they could come in. Kenji crossed the threshold, followed by Seiya. Serena hesitated. In her opinion her day just went from good to bad to worse. Darien. Of all the people in the world, why did her dad have to assigned a case involving this jerk. Why couldn't it have been some sweet old lady who had found the babies. Kenji turned to look at his daughter.

"I think I'll go wait down stairs." Serena said.

Kenji looked from Darien to Serena. He could not really read the young man's face. " Serena, get in here." Kenji nearly growled. Serena's shoulder's dropped and she followed her father into the apartment. Darien closed the door behind her. She did not wait for an invitation to go anywhere but hallway. Serena stormed into the living room where the two wailing children were.

"What did he do to you?" Serena asked one of them. She picked the baby up. "Did he try to fed you poison?"


	3. III The Arcade

**WARNING**: It is recommended by the author of the following work of fiction that the parent or guardian of any individual under the age of thirteen read and review the following. As this work of fiction is comprised of intense frightening scenes, mild violence, and mild language. Some parents and/or guardians may feel that these materials are not suited for their child. Kristen Long

**DISCLAIMER**: The following is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. While those characters that normally associated with the hit television series and the best-selling magna (or graphic novel) known as Sailor Moon are not the products of my own creation. They are the products of the series creator Naoko Takeuchi.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** First off allow for me to inform you that the following working of fiction is still in the process. Therefore, chapters are being written, add, deleted, or revised. So, you may from time to want to re-read through chapters that have been revised, as announced in the summary. Second off I was inspired to write this work of fan-fiction after reading _I Need You_ by Phantasy Star. I also would like you to be informed of the fact that I use terms "detective" and "police officer" interchangeably.

Title: Babies

Chapter Three: Parenting 101

Author: Kristen Long (K.Long)

It was the lunch hour when they had reached the Crown Arcade and Café. It was packed with people taking an hour break from work to eat. Serena looked around the café. It was strange being here at this hour of the day on a weekday, instead of a weekend. It was quieter and less crowded, even though there was a lunch crowd.

Andrew was behind the bar, his back to the door, filling a cup with ice-crème. He turned around and handed the cup of vanilla ice-cream to a young wearing a business suit, who handed him a five dollar bill. Andrew made change and the woman walked off to join a friend in woman's business suit. Kenji and Seiya stepped up to the counter.

"Afternoon, officers." Andrew greeted with a smile. Andrew a young man in his late teens/ early twenties with light chestnut hair and green eyes standing at an estimated five-foot-seven and wearing the standard white short sleeved button up shirt, light blue trousers, and white apron "What can I do for you?"

Kenji removed his badge from his inner jacket pocket and introduced himself and his partner. "We are investigating a case concerning a friend of yours. One Darien Shields."

"What has Beryl accused him of now? Stocking? Rape? Breaking in and entering?" Andrew asked. His expression not the pleasant one that he greeted his customers with. "Whatever that bitch told you, it's not true."

"Beryl Pope." Seiya said. He made it a question.

"Yeah." Andrew said. "This…this is about her?" Andrew questioned. His attitude changing in a blink of an eye.

"No." Seiya answered. "Should it be?"

"Maybe." Andrew said straightening up.

Kenji raised his left eyebrow. "If you could spare the time, we would like to talk to you."

"Sure." Andrew said. "Is there anything else I could do for you? Get you some lunch?"

"Lunch, please." Seiya said looking up at the menu. "I'll have one double cheeseburger, medium fries with salt, and a large fruit punch. Serena, you want anything?"

Andrew looked around the police officers to see Serena. "Hey, Serena." He greeted with a smile. "Why aren't you in school? Playing hocking."

"Hey, Andrew. How are you?" Serena said.

"Expect for the news that Beryl got Darien into some kind of trouble, again, I am good. So, why aren't you in school?" Andrew answered.

"You're persist aren't you." Serena frowned. "Hey you're my friend, too. Just want to make sure you're not getting yourself into trouble, again."

" I don't get into trouble."

"Yeah, you're a good girl overall, but that won't save me from an earful from the girls."

"Rei loves to yell." Serena said.

"So, why aren't you in school?"

"You're not going to give up, are you?"

"Nope."

"Don't worry than. I have my parents' and the school's blessing for not being in class. Mister Brampton was extremely happy to give me his blessing. Something about my lack of attention and consciousness being a factor to my classmates distraction during his kill-you-with-boredom lectures."

"I never heard about this." Kenji said turning to his doctor. "When we get home you and I will be having a talk. And, I want you to fall asleep during my kill-you-with-boredom lecture."

Serena swallowed. "Yes, sir."

" So, one double cheeseburger, medium fries, and a large fruit punch. Is that all?" Andrew asked tapping the order into his cash register. The question came too late to keep his friend from getting into trouble with her father.

"Do you sell cheesecake?" Kenji asked.

"Sure do." Andrew said. "We have original cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake.."

"Chocolate and a cup of black coffee."

"Serena?" Andrew asked.

Serena did not answer Andrew's inquire right away. Had she come into the Crown Arcade and Café after school she would have greeted Andrew and ordered her usual after-school snake – chocolate cheesecake, but as it was the middle of the afternoon and she had not eaten lunch at her usual time…

Seiya Kou stepped up beside her. "Order what you want. It's on me." He said with a smile.

Serena smiled and nodded her head. Andrew smiled, too, but for a different reason. He knew full well that if given the chance, Serena Tsukino would eat everything in the kitchen – including the ice cubes, as they would be in the drinks. However, this was a fact that this young officer did not know. Andrew wondered if the poor boy could afford a ten course meal. Darien had paid for Serena's lunch one Saturday and had to borrow five dollars to get home.

" I'll have a double cheeseburger, large fries, coke, chocolate cheesecake, and vanilla ice-cream." Serena finally said after thinking it over. Seiya's mouth dropped open at Serena's orders. He had not excepted that this sixteen-year-old girl would order so much. He was expecting that she would have ordered a salad or some other health food.

" You know what?" Seiya said. " I change my mind about my order. One double cheeseburger, one chocolate cheesecake, and coffee with two creams and sugar."

"Okay." Andrew said. He repeated the orders, tapping them into the computer cash register as he went through the list. When they all agreed that what he had told them was correct Kenji lead them to a table to await there orders. And, Andrew agreed to take his break early to correct any and all misunderstanding about Darien.

"I'm going to play a few games." Serena said not setting down in the booth.

Andrew came over with two cups of coffee. Both of them were black. He placed two small plastic containers of cream and a container of sugar in front of Seiya. " Thank you." Both officers said. Andrew nodded.

"Oh, Serena, I meant to tell you, we got the new Sailor V video game. Third game. Third row." Andrew announced. With that Serena was gone..

A woman wearing a similar uniform as Andrew's walked up to the table. "Andrew, I just a phone call from the school. Brian's sick."

"Can you stay just a little longer." Andrew asked. "Just an extra thirty minutes and you can have the rest of the day off."

"He's really sick." The waitress said.

"Sure." Andrew sighed. "When he's well, bring him down for a sundae."

"Thanks, Andrew, you're the best." The woman said throwing her arms around his neck. This was most awkward as the woman was one foot shorter than he was. So, she was basically pulling him down.

"Looks like it'll take me a little longer to answer your questions, detective." Andrew said as the waitress walked off, taking her apron off as she went.

"That is okay." Detective Kenji said taking a sip of his drink. "When a child is sick, you got to put everything on pause. Or wind up with a doctor bill longer than your arm for something that could have been taken care of with a teaspoon of cough syrup."

Andrew smiled in response and walked off.


	4. Letter from Author

Letter from Author:

I had not realized how much time had passed since I first sat down to write this fan-fic (approximately four years; three since I last updated it). I had not expected that so many people would fall in love with the first three chapters and demand that I write more so as they could discover who the babies mother is, how Darien and Serena relationship would develop, what kind of dates Serena and Seiya would go on, and which of the two (Darien and Seiya) would she choose and Kenji place under arrest.

Within these past few years I have become so involved more and more with my friends, family, job, and school that this story was just placed on hold – even forgotten about at times. But, with so many e-mails and letters with request I think that it is time that you all have the chance to know what happens next.

So, starting, next week I will make it my goal to publish one chapter until it is finished. If you have any ideas or suggestions (as to what you want to see happen) than you are more than welcome to e-mail me. Who knows maybe it'll appear in the story ; )

Thank you all for showing me how much you love my works of fiction. It only encourages me to become an author.

MoonGuardianLuna/Kris-10


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